State Dept. allowed thousands of child brides into U.S. over past decade

OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 8:10 AM Sat. Jan. 12, 2018

A new report claims, the State Department approved thousands of requests made by adult men over the past decade, to bring adolescent brides into the U.S.

The results of a Senate committee investigation published Friday, said the department granted more than 5,500 requests to bring underage spouses to America.

WASHINGTON, DC – SEPTEMBER 12: A sign stand outside the U.S. State Department September 12, 2012 in Washington, DC. U.S. Ambassador to Libya J. Christopher Stevens and three other Americans were killed in an attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

The discovery has prompted lawmakers to consider new restrictions, because the grants were approved legally under the Immigration and Nationality Act, which does not set minimum age requirements.

“It’s really U.S. government policy to try to prevent child marriages and forced marriages — it’s easier said than done though,” said Senator Ron Johnson.

President Trump has made it a top priority for his administration to address what he calls the ‘nation’s broken immigration system’.